Brandon holds the title for Manitoba’s snowiest May long weekend on record, thanks to a powerful Colorado Low that swept across the province in 2015. The late‑season storm delivered an unexpected blast of winter, dropping 10 to 15 centimetres of heavy, wet snow across the city and surrounding communities. Environment Canada says the system arrived after a sharp temperature drop, turning what began as cold rain into one of the latest accumulating snowfalls ever documented in southwestern Manitoba.
The 2015 event remains the benchmark for May long weekend snowfall in the province, outpacing other late‑May storms that have hit Dauphin, Riding Mountain, Thompson, and even Winnipeg over the years. While some of those regions have seen trace amounts or brief bursts of snow during the holiday weekend, none have matched the totals recorded in Brandon during that Colorado Low.
For many Manitobans, the May long weekend marks the unofficial start of summer — but history shows the province isn’t always ready to let go of winter. With weather patterns capable of swinging from sunshine to snow in a matter of hours, forecasters say late‑season surprises remain a possibility, even as the calendar pushes toward June.
📚 Top‑5 Historical May Long Weekend Snowfalls in Manitoba
- Brandon — 10–15 cm (2015 Colorado Low)
- Dauphin — ~10 cm (late‑May cold snap, 2002)
- Riding Mountain region — 5–10 cm (multiple late‑May events)
- Thompson — trace to 5 cm (various years)
- Winnipeg — trace amounts in several late‑May cold outbreaks
These numbers come from Environment Canada historical climate summaries and archived May long weekend storm reports.
